Cutting the cost of energy bills

OPINION AND EDITORIAL

BY JULIANA ADDISON

MEMBER FOR WENDOUREE

 

THROUGHOUT the COVID pandemic, people have spent more time at home, which has meant higher power bills.

It has been wonderful to hear about the support being offered by Uniting, Brotherhood of St Laurence and the Australian Energy Foundation to directly assist people who need help with their energy bills.

Further to the support being offered by these organisations, the Andrews Labor Government is reducing the cost of energy for eligible Victorians doing it tough, with a one-off $250 payment to help with their energy bills.

The bonus is available to any household with a Victorian electricity account that holds a pensioner concession card or receives JobSeeker, Austudy, Abstudy or Youth Allowance.

It will be available for 12 months and will provide immediate financial relief to more than 900,000 Victorian households.

I welcome the $250 Power Saving Bonus that will help take the pressure off households in our community and I am so pleased that, to date, there have been 2837 applications from the electorate of Wendouree, which will result in $709,250 in bonus payments.

The bonus is available through the Victorian Energy Compare website – compare.energy.vic.gov.au – or by calling 1800 000 832.

Alternatively, for anyone having difficulty accessing this grant, my office is very happy to assist anyone in the Wendouree electorate submit their application.

I encourage people needing assistance to reach out to their local State Member.